Law Enforcement: The New Voice of Criminal Justice Reform

LEAP Speakers - all of whom have worked in law enforcement - write, consult, and meet with advocacy groups, legislators, fellow officers, the media, and the public to craft and support policies that make our communities safer and more just.

Major Neill Franklin (Ret.) testified at the first hearing of the new Congress to address marijuana policy. The SAFE Banking Act would protect marijuana businesses and employees from theft and violence.

“States do not seize the assets of drug kingpins, but of ordinary Americans, often with little or no connection to criminal activity.” -Amicus brief filed by a coalition of organizations including LEAP, DPA, and the NAACP

Featured Speakers

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Judge Larry Vandersnick (Ret.)

Cambridge, IL

"The state’s forfeiture laws are ripe for reform... it’s quasi-criminal, if not criminal, to take someone’s property from them in this way. Civil forfeiture has become a lot more common in the last 10 years. And it is hurting innocent people."

Sheriff John Tharp

Toledo, OH

"Saving the lives of our family, friends, and neighbors is imperative and any tools to help combat the current heroin epidemic in our communities should be embraced. I have personal friends whose children have died. You belly up and do the right thing."

Why I Joined LEAP: Our Law Enforcement Speakers in Their Own Words

I have been in Corrections since 1987 and the Superintendent of Corrections in Cheshire County NH since 1993. Being a Chief law enforcement officer and public official who must survive the political arena and changing landscape of our constituency, I struggled to find other professionals who shared a voice on best practices and evidenced based criminal justice ideology. It was 2007 when I joined Law Enforcement Action Partnership, an organization that presented as a coalition of smart criminal justice professionals who joined together to help guide our communities, our politicians and our country's criminal justice agenda in a more logical and responsible direction. It has been one of the best decisions of my career.

I felt it was important to ensure the message of changing how we view and deal with addiction reached a wide audience, especially a network of my peers, fellow law enforcement and the public. Law enforcement is often seen as the innovators, leaders and change agents. LEAP gives me and law enforcement that platform to be the leaders of change to a wider audience.

I joined LEAP because I believe in its mission to create a more effective and more fair criminal justice system. Our country puts too many people in jails and prisons for the wrong reasons, which destabilizes communities and inhibits law enforcement’s ability to do its job. I want to be a proactive partner for positive change, which LEAP allows me to do.

No police agency can be successful without the support of the community they serve, and no police agency can expect to have community support without first developing community trust. I am excited to be a part of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership as the organization has dedicated itself to promoting best practices throughout the criminal justice system, which will better develop the trust and support every police agency needs to be successful in helping to build better and safer communities for everyone.

Sir Robert Peel founded modern policing in 1829 by establishing the London Metropolitan Police Force. Peel's commissioners developed the Peelian Principles, a set of ideals that defined the ethical requirements police officers must abide by in order to do their job effectively.

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The Law Enforcement Action Partnership is an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of criminal justice professionals advocating for drug policy and criminal justice reforms that will make communities safer.